Cathodic sputtering chamber for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer located therein

Abstract

A chamber (10) for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer (18) located in the chamber by means of cathodic sputtering a target (26), located on a target mount (24), of the material to be applied or a component thereof, contains a wafer mount (14) on which the semiconductor wafer (18) to be coated is located. The wafer mount (14) is provided movable in the chamber (10) between a charging position for application of the semiconductor wafer and a sputtering position in which semiconductor wafer is located at a predefined distance away from and opposite to the target. Provided in the chamber is a shielding support (30) which is supported by the edge of the semiconductor wafer in the sputtering position in maintaining it in contact with the wafer mount, the shielding support extending between the edge of the semiconductor wafer and a portion adjoining the edge of the target on the target mount and thus defining a sputtering space between the target and the semiconductor wafer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.